BusterStronghart@Gmail.com

July 25, 2005

Neo-Crom?

Today’s Financial Times has a piece describing the Neo-Croms of England.
Neo-Cromwellians, that is. Who are they? Well, the reader might as well ask who are we?

Approve of the ban on smoking in restaurants? You’re a neo-Crom. How about pregnant women who drink a glass of wine or smoke a cigarette with their meals? Approve? No? You’ve only proven you are a Puritan.

Today’s AOL informed me that New Jersey wants to make it a violation to smoke while driving. This after the state has banned smoking from restaurants, offices, and stores. So if someone—dare I say, “if a girl or a guy?” wants to get into his car and have a smoke by himself, after holding out all day, he is liable for a violation. April Fool? No, I checked, today is July 25th 2005.

If I want to get into a SUV there is a whole segment of the population that thinks I should be castigated and taxed double. If I allow my children to watch TV the Puritans know that I am abusing my children. Should I fail to pack and strap my child into a child cage when I get into my SUV I am liable for a moving violation. No matter, that I bought the gas-guzzler itself just to protect my little darling from the rest of you maniacal drivers.

When I play my CD’s loudly in my car while I drive past your house I am breaking the law —and now on some beaches in New York, I must use earphones or turn the radio off. What about my personal freedom?

I saw my neighbor grilling frankfurters and feeding them to his family last Saturday. Very bad for the children and think of all the gain that is wasted fattening up the cattle prior to their slaughter. Oh, and let’s talk about the inhumane and unsanitary conditions in the abattoir. We need regulation. You should stop eating beef.

When I take my family on a holiday in the forests I am accused of eco-vandalism, and there are many of us who wish to make most of the national parks of limits—or to ration use, perhaps allowing only PhD’s into the woods, and then only after they have proved themselves to be capable of cleaning their campsites and leaving them in better condition than they found them—as any cub-scout would have done fifty years ago. As far as allowing the uneducated into the parks—well, what’s Six Flags for anyway?

And the low prices on JetBlue and similar airlines? More unnecessary pollution. Raise the prices, protect the environment. The masses shouldn’t travel anyway. Let them save their money for their own health care.

We need tighter regulation on advertising directed at children—enough of that candy stuff, I say. And I would appreciate it too, if my granddaughter would stop asking me for those toys she sees on the television that I have asked my daughter-in-law to toss out.

I am amazed that there are governmental restrictions that make doctors fear giving sufficient pain medications—and most doctors fear to protest at the risk of their license to practice


Now, speaking of drugs, dare I point out how much the unsuccessful War on Drugs is costing us? Imagine if the mega-billions spent on that war was directed in other directions and if marijuana and cocaine were as legal as alcohol and tobacco.

On, the other hand, perhaps alcohol and tobacco are next on the New-Crom’s list. Why not?

The Neo-Croms resent our easy pleasures.

mek

BusterStronghart@Gmail.com

In many states a woman may not drink alcohol or smoke while pregnant, but she may get an abortion.

mek